Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) are the osteoblasts precursors and key hematopoietic niche components.
Iron enters BM-MSCs through transferrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
Iron, at concentrations detected in sera of iron overloaded patients, stimulates in vitro the proliferation of BM-MSCs.
Iron-dependent growth stimulation is associated with cyclins E and A increase, p27 decrease and MAPK pathway activation.
Iron impairs BM-MSCs osteoblastic differentiation acting both on cell commitment and matrix calcification process.